Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
About
Libby Denkmann has covered veterans' issues, homelessness, and local politics during her radio journalism career. She became the host of KUOW's Soundside in November 2021. Previously she was a producer, reporter, anchor, and host for stations KIRO, KFI, and KPCC in Seattle and Los Angeles. During a yearlong hiatus from journalism in 2011, she worked as a congressional staffer in Washington, D.C.. Libby was born in Seattle, grew up on the eastside, and graduated from the University of Washington. Her favorite things include soccer, video games, and her dog, Monty.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English, limited Japanese and Portuguese
Pronouns: she/her
Podcasts
Stories
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Remembering the maestro behind 'Twin Peaks' sound
With just three short notes, you’re there: the lumber yard, Snoqualmie Falls, and a pie-loving detective trying to solve the murder of a high school girl in the Cascade foothills.
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Does continued state empowerment threaten democracy?
Gridlock on the national level has pushed policy decisions to the states. With that shift comes an erosion of democratic norms and institutions.
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District judge halts sweeps of Camp Hope in Spokane
Camp Hope is the largest homeless encampment in Spokane, at one time hosting seen as many as 600 residents. City, county, and state officials have been trying to move residents elsewhere, but exactly when and where has yet to be determined. Meanwhile, scheduled sweeps that would have cleared out the encampment have been delayed.
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Why is it so difficult to get reliable internet in rural areas?
Crosscut investigative reporter Brandon Block joins Soundside to talk about the difficulties in getting broadband internet access out to rural parts of Washington state.
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How will ChatGPT change the future of information?
It’s hard to describe exactly what just what ChatGPT is. In the tech world you might call it an advanced natural language model. But to those on the outside, it feels like a kind of magical black box. We’ve lived with different versions of this kind of programming for a while now, but something seems different about ChatGPT, with some comparing it to a new industrial revolution, and as big as the discovery of electricity.
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The added challenges of getting mental health care as a farmworker
Getting care can already be difficult when you live in a rural area — but there’s also a stigma surrounding discussions of mental health and self care in the agricultural industry. And getting proper care for your mental needs depends on what work you do, and who you are.
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Onboarding progresses slowly for new Office of Independent Investigations
In Washington state's legislature, the killing of Manuel Ellis in March 2020 by Tacoma Police helped propel a police reform package of more than a dozen bills. One of those bills created The Office of Independent Investigations, or OII, which was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in 2021. This is the first office of its kind in the nation, with plans to train civilian investigators to watchdog the use of deadly force by police throughout the state.
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Microsoft's $69 billion deal to acquire Activision-Blizzard faces FTC suit
In a deal that may go down as the largest video-game merger of all time, Microsoft, the maker of the Xbox, is attempting to buy Activision Blizzard, which is responsible for the games, "World of Warcraft," "Diablo," and "Call of Duty," as well as the company that makes "Candy Crush."
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Bracing for the economic fallout after the collapse of the Bering Sea crab season
Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers Executive Director Jamie Goen joins Soundside to talk about the potential economic disaster of their canceled crab seasons.
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Could now be the time to consider a post-social media future?
Lots of people are working at this very moment to create the next social media platform to consume our time and attention, but there’s at least one person who believes that the age of social media as we know it is over. And he’s OK with that.